Traffic signal



Aug. 11, 1936.

R. E. SU MM ERS TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Sept. 7, 1935 Patented ug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention aims to provide a simple signal, adapted to be mounted on the side of anr automobile, and capable of being operated from within the automobile, to indicate, toward the front and toward the rear of the vehicle, the intentions of the driver, with respect to stopping, turning to the left, or turning to the right, although the device, of course, may be used to impart signals of a different sort.

l0 `It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing:-

Fig. 1 shows in rear elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The numeral I indicates a support, such as the side wall of an automobile. The support I has a vertical slot 2. A bracket 3 is secured to the outside of the support I, about the slot 2 and comprises side arms, as shown in Fig. 2. An insulating block 4 is attached to one side of the bracket 3. The insulating block 4 carries curved conducting tracks 5.

A fulcrum bolt 6 is mounted in the side Walls of the bracket 3. The fulcrum bolt 6 has a round part 'I and a square part 8. The square part 8 of the bolt 6 is engaged in one side wall of the bracket 3, so that the bolt cannot turn. The parts 1 and 8 of the fulc-rum bolt 6 form a shoulder 9. A fixed bevelled gear I0 is mounted on the square part 8 of the fulcrum bolt 6, between the shoulder 9 and one side wall of the bracket 3.

A hollow shaft II extends into the bracket 3. The hollow shaft I I is mounted, intermediate its ends, to swing vertically on the fulcrum bolt 6. A compression spring I2 is mounted on the round part 1 of the fulcrum bolt 6 and presses against the bevelled gear I0. The inner end of the compression spring I2 presses against friction washers I4 on the round part 'I of the fulcrum bolt 6. 'Ihe innermost friction washer may be secured to the side of the hollow shaft II. The purpose of the spring I2 and the washers I4 will be explained hereinafter. The operating means for swinging the hollow shaft I I vertically on the fulcrum bolt 6 may be a handle I5 secured to the inner end of the shaft II, and projecting into 5 the automobile, through the slot 2 in the support I.

A signal casing I6 is mounted to turn on the shaft I I and is located outside of the automobile. 'Ihe signal casing I6 may be six-sided if desired. 10 Theinner end wall of the signal casing yI6 is disposed between two set collars Il on the shaft II. The outer end wall of the signal casing I6 is engaged by the Vhead of a screw plug I8 in the outer end of the hollow shaft I l. The screw plug l5 I 8 and the set collars I 'I prevent the signal casing I6 from moving lengthwise on the shaft II but do not prevent the signal casing from turning on the shaft. The three rear plates of the signal casing I6 are marked, as shown at I9, with the 20 words Stop, Left, and Right; other marking may be used. The three front plates of the signal casing I6 are marked in such a way that When any one of the words mentioned is disposed in a vertical position at the rear of the signal 25 casing, and immediately to the rear of the rear light compartment 23, the corresponding word or symbol on the signal casing will be disposed in a vertical position, in front of the front light compartment 22. A bevelled pinion 20 is secured to 30 the inner end of the signal casing I6. The bevelled pinion 20 meshes with the fixed bevelled gear I 0.

The shaft I I carries radial partitions 2I, locate-d within the signal casing I6. The partitions 35 2| form the front light compartment 22, and the rear light compartment 23, hereinbefore alluded to. The shaft II carries sockets 24. Electric lamps 25 are mounted in the sockets 24. 'I'he electric lamps 25 are disposed in the light com- 40 partments 22 and 23. The two-wire circuit for the lamps 25 is marked by the numeral 26 and extends through the hollow shaft II. In one wire of the lamp circuit 26, the conducting tracks 5 are interposed. The circuit 26 is open, saving 45 when the tracks 5 are bridged, as shown in Fig.

2, by a conducting member 21 fixed in a piece of insulation 28 mounted on the side of the shaft II, within the bracket 3.

The hollow shaft II can be swung vertically 50 on the fulcrum bolt 6, by means of the handle I5. When the shaft II is swung vertically, the signal I6 is swung vertically also. The bevelled pinion 28 on the signal I6, cooperating with the xed bevelled gear I8, rotates the signal I6, when the 55 signal is swung vertically. The purpose of the spring I2 and the friction washers I4 is to afford a brake which will retain the shaft II in any position to which it has been swung vertically by an operator.

When the handle I5 is swung down to the position shown at 29, the word Right on the signal IG is disposed vertically at the front and at the back of the signal. When the handle I5 is in the position shown at 3B, the words Left are correspondingly displayed at the front and at the back of the signal. The Stop position is shown at 3l. When the handle I5 is in the uppermost position shown at 32, the lamps 25 are out. This is so, because, by that time, the bridge 21 on the inner end of the shaft II is oi the conducting tracks 5 and in engagement with the upper end of the insulating block 4 in Fig. l, the lamp circuit then being open. When, however, the handle I5 is in any of the positions shown at 3|, 30 or 29, the bridge 21 engages with the tracks 5 as shown in Fig. 2, to close the lamp circuit, the lamps 25 being lighted, and the markings shown at I 9 being illuminated.

The device may embody two, three or more of the signal markings indicated at I9. Although the handle I5 is shown as a means for rotating the shaft II, the shaft may be rotated otherwise than by hand, and through any approved instrumentality.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device of the class described, a bracket comprising oppositely-disposed side arms, a fulcrum member extended across the bracket and having its ends mounted in the arms, means for holding the fulcrum member against rotation in the arms, a shaft extended between the arms and mounted intermediate its ends on the fulcrum member for swinging movement in a fixed plane, a signal journaled on the shaft, intermeshing beveled gears secured, respectively, to the signal and to the fulcrum member, and a resilient brake mounted on the fulcrum member, the brake abutting at one end against the shaft and at its opposite end against the gear that is secured to the fulcrum member, the brake constituting means for holding the shaft in any position to which it may have been swung in said plane.

2. In a device of the class described, a bracket comprising oppositely-disposed side arms, a fulcrum member extended across the bracket and having its ends mounted in the arms, one end portion of the bracket being polygonal and being held against rotation in one of the arms, a shaft extended between the arms and mounted intermediate its ends on the fulcrum member for' swinging movement in a xed plane, the shaft abutting against the other of said arms, a signal journaled on the shaft, intermeshing beveled gears, one of which is secured to the signal, and the other of which is mounted on the polygonal portion of the fulcrum member and is held thereby against rotation, the last-specied beveled gear abutting against the first-specified arm, and a resilient brake mounted on the fulcrum member, the brake abutting at one end against the shaft and at its opposite end against the gear that is mounted on the polygonal portion of the fulcrum member, the brake constituting means for holding the shaft in any position to which it may have been swung in said plane.

REUBEN ENOCH SUMMERS. 

